Device for delivering articles to and receiving articles from moving trains.



w. s. DAVlDSON'.

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING ARTICLES TO AND RECEIVING ARTICLES FROM MOVING TRAINS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1?. i910.

1,192,872. Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

w. s. DAVIDSON. DEVICE FOR DELIVERING ARTICLES TO AND RECEIVINGARTICLES FROM MOVING TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I7. I9I0.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILLIAM S. DAVIDSON, OF BIRIVIINGHAM, ALABAMA.

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING ARTICLES TO AND RECEIVING ARTICLES FROM Movnve TRAINS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known thatI, WILLIAM SON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Birmingham, county of Jefferson, and State of Alabama, having invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Delivering Articles to and Receiving Articles from MovingTrains, do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in devices where flexible means are used for delivering articles to moving trains and delivering platforms are used for delivering articles from moving trains and safety walls are used to prevent the articles which are delivered from the trains from getting under the trains from which they are delivered; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide sheave cases containing sheaves and the said sheave cases being joined together by a tube which is so placed that the flexible member, which is carried by the said sheaves, will pass through the said tube; and, second, to provide a weight check which is adapted to take up the slack in the different lengths of articles which are delivered to the trains; and, third, to provide means having a fixed length for holding the lower end of the article delivered to the train; and, fourth, to provided a delivering platform and automatic means for delivering articles from trains to stations; and, fifth, to provide means which will prevent the articles which are delivered from the trains from getting back under the trains from which they are delivered. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the devices showing mail bagsin positions to be delivered both to and from the train, it also shows one end of the safety wall 31. Figs. 2, 3, 4r, 5, 6, 7 and 9 are details of the several parts; and Fig. 8 is a perspective showing the side of a car and the delivering platforms 18 in their positions while articles are on the platform ready to be delivered and also after being delivered, it also shows the safety wall 31 and the retaining wall 33 with articles E between the said walls after the articles E have been delivered to the station.

Similar numerals and similar letters refer Specification of Letters Patent.

S. DAvID Patented Au. 1, 1916.

Application fi1ed May 17, 1910. Serial No. 561,907.

to similar parts throughout the several views.

The mast 1, the sheave cases 2 and 5 constitute the frame work of the device which is used to deliver the articles to the trains. The delivering platform 18 and the safety walls 31 and 33 constitute the frame work of the device which is used to deliver the arti- "cles to the station. The mast 1 can be any member 13 to hang down by the side of the mast 1, the sheave case 2 is'formed in this manner so as to protect the sheave 3 from the weather. The sheave case 4: has one fitting which is adapted to connect the said sheave caseonto the tube 2 all other parts of the said case 4 being closed in except the lower edge which is left open, thereby affording means for placing the sheave 5 in position and also affording means for allowing the flexible member 13 to hang down through the bottom of the said case 4:. The sheaves 3 and 5 are pivoted in such positions that the flexible member 13, while carried by the said sheaves, will pass through the said tube 2*, and the ends of the said flexible member will hang down through the opening in the lower edges of the said sheave cases, this being arranged so as much of the flexible member 13 can be protected from the weather as possible. The nondelivering end of the flexible member 13 is provided witha weight 8, the said weight 8 h avinga comparatively long neck. The delivering end of the flexible member 13 is provided with a snap hook, the snap hook being provided with a forked spring having an eye, the said eye is small enough to pass through the ring on the article to be delivered. There is a weight check 7 shown in detail by Fig. 3, having a collar which fits loosely around the mast 1 so the said weight check 7 can be moved up and down to any position that is necessary to engage the weight 8, the weight check 7 having a neck with two spurs 7* at the ends of the said neck, the said spur 7 curving around and forming an open collar, the said open collar being larger than the neck to the weight 8, but the opening between the ends of the said spur 7 is smaller than the neck to the weight 8, the said opening between the ends of the said spur 7 being larger than the flexible member 13, and the flexible member 13 being smaller than the neck to the weight 8. Th delivering end of the flexible member 13 is connected to a flexible guy 1%, the said flexible guy 14: passing over a guy hook 12, shown in detail by Fig. 1, the said flexible guy 1-: extending on down and being held by a snap hook 10, the said snap hook 10 being close enough to the ground to be reached by a person while standing on the ground.

The flexible member 16 has a fixed length and its lower end is connected to a track tie by means of a bolt. As the flexible member 16 has a fixed length and the said tie is connected to the track, if the track goes up and down it will keep the center of the mail bag 0 the same height above the track at all times. The delivering end of the flexible member 16 is provided with a snap hook and a forked spring similar to the ones 011 the delivering end of the flexible member 13. llhe snap hooks 13 and are shown in detail by Fig. 5. To prevent the flexible member 16 from getting on the track when not in use. I provide the safety flexible member one end of which is connected to the flexible member 16, the other end of which is cennected to the triple bracket 9 at the jaws 9 The triple bracket 9 is made of two )arts forming an open collar having jaws with bolts passing through the said jaws and the said bolts are used to clamp the two parts around the mast 1, one of these parts having an l. shaped spur connected to it adapted to hold a lamp 11. The triple bracket 9 with its several connections is shown in detail by Fig. 2.

To operate this device, unsnap the flexible guy 14- from snap 10, then swing the said guy 14 off of the guy hook 12,then disengage the weight check 7 from the weight 8, then pull the delivering end of flexible member 13 down to within reach of the ground, then remove the forked sprin A'from the snap hook 13 and place the eye part of the said spring A through the ring on the end of the mail bag C, then hang the said spring A back on the snap hook 3, then connect the flexible member 16 to the other end of the mail bag C in a similar manner, then catch hold of weight 8 and pull down on weight 8 and force the mail bag C up in a position to where the mail bag C and the flexible members 13 and 16 are tight, then place the neck of the weight 8 in the weight check 7 and and B will slide out of the rings and the force the weight check 7 and weight 8 down until the mail bag C is perfectly tight, then release the weight check 7 and it will tilt itself and automatically lock itself to the mast 1, then swing the guy 14; over the guy hook 12 and snap the lower end of the said flexible guy 14: to snap 10. Now when the mail bag C is caught, thc'forked sprii gs -i release the said mail bag C and the wcip 8 will drop to the foundation 1 and thereby pull the delivering end of the flexible mem ber 13 back to the position shown by dotted line which extends from the sheave case f to the guy hook 12, and the flexible member 16 will fall back against the mast 1.

This device can work either independent of or in conjunction with the device which is used to deliver articles from the trains, so they can either be put up together or in separate places.

The mast 1 can be held by a concrete foundation or any convenient method which may be adopted, but in this case I will show a concrete foundation for holding the said mast 1 and the said foundation is placed independent of the track so the passing trains will not shake the device.

The delivering platform 18 is provided with means for pivoting the said platform to the side of a car adjacent to an opening in the side of the said car, the said platform being pivoted in such a position that when it is forced down in a position to receive llllq mail, one end of the said platform will extend into the said opening in the side of 1 car; the said end of the platform which 0.:- tends into the said opening is provided with a wedge shaped lug, and the said wed e shaped lug is adapted to engage the roller or projection 21 on the end of the lever 22, said platform 18 is provided with a slot 18 and the said slot 18 is adapted to allow one end of a detachable lever to be connected to the said platform 18, the said lever is not shown in this case for most any long red. with one end adapted to fit in the slot 18 will answer; the slot 18 is shown by Fig. 7; the platform 18 is also provided with coiled springs, one end of each of which will engage the platform 18, the other end of which will engage the rod 19' shown in Fig. 1, or the ends of the said springs can engage the side of the car to which the platform is p voted; the said springs 20 are adapted to furnish power sufficient to cause the platform to throw the articles fromthe car and from the platform 18 after the said platform has been released from the projection 21. There is a shaft 23 attached to the bottom of the car and extends transversely of the said car, one end of the said shaft 23 is provided with a lever 25 which extends down near the track, the other end of the said shaft being provided with another lever 22, the top end of 1 on law the said lever 22 being provided with a roller or projection 21, the said projection 21 being placed in such a position that when the platform 18 is forced down in a horizontal position the said projection 21 will engage the top surface of the wedge shaped. lug 1S-; the projection being adapted to pass off of the top of the wedge shaped lug 18 on either side so the device can be operated while the train is moving in either direction.

There is a tripping post 26 placed at each point where articles are to be delivered, the said tripping post being placed in such a position that the lever 25 will always come in contact with the said tripping post 26 when the car passes the said tripping post 26. The surface of the said tripping post 26 which is adapted to come in contact with the lever 25 is covered over with rubber so as to form a cushion for the lever 25. There is a projection 28 which extends out a few inches from the edge of the bottom of the car; at each station where articles are to be delivered there is a safety wall constructed along by the side of the track and the top edge of this safety wall extends up just as near to the bottom edge of the car as possible so the car can clear the said wall. A few feet from this safety wall there is another wall 33 which I call a retaining Wall, the two said walls, 31 and 33, being constructed about parallel with each other and also with the track and the space between the two said walls being specially prepared to receive the articles delivered between the said walls. At each end of the said wall 31 a tripping post 26 is placed so that when the train is going in either direction the lever 25 will come in contact with the first tripping post that it comes to and thereby put the device in motion to deliver the articles just as it reaches the end of the said wall 31. There are many places where interlocking plants are placed and this requires pipes or rods to extend along by the side of the track so, to keep from coming in contact with these rods, 1 construct the wall 31 inclined with an opening under the said wall 31 adapted to allow the said rods to pass under the said wall 31 and the top edge of the said wall 31 is supported by pillars which are placed along under the top edge of the said wall31, and this will afford access to the rods 32 which are used to operate the switches or signals at an interlocking plant.

To protect articles which are to be delivered from the trains, the space between the said walls should be covered over with a heavy body of soft sand which will act as a cushion for the articles to fall upon.

I claim:

1. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member carried by sheaves, the delivering end of the said flexible member being provided with a snap-hook and the snap-hook being provided with a forked spring. which is adapted to engage a ring on an article delivered, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member carried by sheaves, the delivering end of the flexible member being provided with a snap-hook, the snap-hook being provided with a forked spring, the forked spring being adapted to engage a ring on an article delivered, and means for engaging the non delivering end of the flexible member, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member carried by sheaves, the delivering end of the flexible member being provided with a snap-hook, the snap-hook being provided with a forked spring, the forked spring being adapted to engage a ring on an article delivered, and the'non-delivering end of the flexible member being provided with a weight, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles provided with rings to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member carried by sheaves, the non-delivering end of the flexible member being provided with a weight, means for engaging the said weight, the delivering end of the flexible member being provided with a snap-hook, the snap-hook being provided with a forked spring and the forked spring being adapted to engage a ring on an article delivered, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member carried by sheaves, the delivering end of the flexible member being provided with a flexible guy, a snap-hook and the snap-hook being provided with a forked spring, all for the purposes set forth and described.

6. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member having a fixed length, the non-delivering end of the said flexible member being attached to the said track, and the delivering end of the said flexible member being provided with means for delivering the lower end of an article delivered, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member having a fixed length, the non-delivering end of the flexible member being attached to the said track, the delivering end of the flexible member being provided with means for delivering the lower end of an article delivered and means for preventing the said flexible member from getting under the trains, substantially as described.

8. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member having a fixed length, the non-delivering end of the said flexible member being attached to the said railroad track, the delivering end of the said flexible member being provided with a flexible safety member, a snap-hook and the snap-hook being provided with a forked spring, which is adapted to deliver the lower end of an article delivered, substantially as described.

9. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member carried by sheaves, a flexible member having a fixed length, the non-delivering end of the flexible member having a fixed length, being attached to the said railroad track and the delivering ends of the said flexible members being provided with means 'for delivering an article to a receiver on a moving train, substantially as described.

10. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member having a fixed length, the non-delivering end of the said flexible mem her being attached to a stationary object, and the delivering end of the said flexible member being provided with means for delivering the lower end of an article to a receiver on a moving train, substantially as described.

11. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a snaphook provided with a forked spring, and the forked spring being adapted to engage a ring on an article delivered, substantially as described.

12. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a flexible member carried by sheaves, a weight attached to the non-delivering end of the said flexible member, the said weight being provided with a neck, means adapted to engage the said weight while the articles are being delivered and the said neck being adapted to prevent the said weight from becoming disconnected from the said means while the articles are being delivered, substantially as described.

13. The combination, in a device provided with flexible means for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a weight check, comprising a collar, which is adapted. to it loosely around a mast, a neck attached to the said collar, two spurs attached to the said neck, the said spurs being curved around so as to form an open collar, and the said open collar being adapted to engage a weight on the end of the flexible member that delivers the top end of the article delivered, substantially as described.

1 1. The combination, in a device provided with flexible members for delivering articles to a receiver on a moving train; a triple bracket consisting of a two piece collar, the said pieces being provided with jaws, bolts passing through the said jaws for clamping the said pieces to a mast, one set of said jaws being adapted to engage one end of the safety member 15, the other set oi said jaws being adapted to engage one end of the flexible guy 14, and an L-shaped spur adapted to hold a lamp being attached to one of the said pieces, substantially as described.

15. The combination, in a device provided with means for delivering articles from moving trains; a railroad track, a car, a delivering platform pivotally attached to said car, the said platform being provided with a wedge-shape lug, a shaft, provided with two levers, attached to the floor of said car, one of said levers being adapted to automatically engage or dis-engage the wedge-shape lug on the delivering platform, the other lever extending down near the said track and means adapted to engage the lever that extends down near the track, substantially as described.

16. The combination, in a device provided with means for delivering articles from moving trains; a railroad track, a car upon said track, a lever pivotally attached to said car, a tripping post located by the side of said track in the path of said lever, and that part of said tripping post which is adapted to engage the said lever being rubber, substantially as described.

17. The combination, in a device provided with means for delivering articles from moving trains; a railroad track, a tripping post located by the side of said track, part of said tripping post being rubber, and a traveling lever adapted to engage the said tripping post, substantially as described.

18. The combination, in a device provided with means for delivering articles from a moving car; a railroad track, a car provided with means for delivering articles from the said car, a safety wall constructed along by the side of said track, the said safety wall being so constructed that any article that is delivered over the said wall from the said car, cannot get under the train from which it is delivered, and a longitudinal opening extending under the said wall, substantially as described.

19. The combination, in a device which is adapted to deliver articles from a moving train; a railroad track, a car provided with means for delivering articles from the said car, a safety Wall constructed along by the side of the said track, a longitudinal opening extending under the said Wall, a retaining Wall located along by the side of the safety Wall, the space between the tWo Walls being specially prepared to receive any article which is delivered from the moving train, and the two Walls being so located that any article Which is delivered from the said train'to between the said Walls, cannot get under the train from Which it is delivered substantially as described.

20. The combination in a device adapted to deliver articles from a moving train; a

WILLiA s. DAVIDSON.

Witnesses:

B. M. OFFUTT, O. A. BAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.? 

